--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think you have an obligation to be an…" description: "\"I think you have an obligation to be an optimist. Because if you're not, nothing will change\" — Ron Silver" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57f/ron-silver-18771_obligation_i-think-you-have-an-obligation-to-be-an_1718455.jpg" --- # I think you have an obligation to be an optimist. Because… ![“I think you have an obligation to be an optimist. Because if you're not, nothing will change” quote by Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57f/ron-silver-18771_obligation_i-think-you-have-an-obligation-to-be-an_1718455.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57f/ron-silver-18771_obligation_i-think-you-have-an-obligation-to-be-an_1718455.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57f/ron-silver-18771_obligation_i-think-you-have-an-obligation-to-be-an_1718455.jpg) > “I think you have an obligation to be an optimist. Because if you're not, nothing will change” [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism is a duty because it fuels change; without hope, nothing improves. **In simple terms:** Being hopeful drives change. Key Takeaway Embrace optimism to inspire progress. Themes optimism responsibility change mindset Mood hopeful determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - activism - team morale Key Concepts psychology motivation agency Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate optimism in difficult times? - What actions follow hopeful thinking? A Different Perspective Optimism alone cannot solve structural problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Optimist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimist/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think I have an obligation to be kind to people in general, otherwise I'll feel crappy about myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlyne-yi/i-think-i-have-an-obligation-to-be-kind-to-people-in-general/) [Charlyne Yi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlyne-yi/) > [I think you have an obligation to be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-think-you-have-an-obligation-to-be-honest/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [We're not obligated to watch ourselves be dissolved away simply because it's not fair that we're so big and powerful. And a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-not-obligated-to-watch-ourselves-be-dissolved-away-simply/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [So I think we have an obligation with our size to make sure that we are open to what people have to say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scott/so-i-think-we-have-an-obligation-with-our-size-to-make-sure-that-we/) [Lee Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scott/) > [I think there is an obligation - not just a right, but an obligation - to vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/i-think-there-is-an-obligation-not-just-a-right-but-an-obligation-to/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) > [If I don't feel like writing today or for a few days, I don't. And I don't think about it. It is not an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/if-i-don-t-feel-like-writing-today-or-for-a-few-days-i-don-t-and-i/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Everybody has the prerogative for their own career in this business, and I firmly believe that to this day. But if you and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-douglas/everybody-has-the-prerogative-for-their-own-career-in-this-business/) [Shane Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-douglas/) > [I think the obligation of an artist is to make a difference in the world. That is what matters most to me. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/i-think-the-obligation-of-an-artist-is-to-make-a-difference-in-the/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [I don't think there is an implicit obligation for the United States to follow like a stupid mule whatever the Israelis do. If they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-don-t-think-there-is-an-implicit-obligation-for-the-united-states/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [There are things that need to be said... and I think it's my obligation to say them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/there-are-things-that-need-to-be-said-and-i-think-it-s-my-obligation/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I think there is an obligation on the part of all of us to stay informed and aware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/i-think-there-is-an-obligation-on-the-part-of-all-of-us-to-stay/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [Where we have been incorrect in what we have done, then I think we have an obligation to settle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scott/where-we-have-been-incorrect-in-what-we-have-done-then-i-think-we/) [Lee Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scott/) > [How old was Noah when he built the ark? 600. He wasn't, like, cashing Social Security checks; he wasn't hanging out - he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gianforte/how-old-was-noah-when-he-built-the-ark-600-he-wasn-t-like-cashing/) [Greg Gianforte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gianforte/) > [“No one asked Jamey to be the policeman and pastor of egos. Why does he think this is his obligation?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jardine-libaire/no-one-asked-jamey-to-be-the-policeman-and-pastor-of-egos-why-does-he/) [Jardine Libaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jardine-libaire/) > [I think that it is everyone's obligation they owe to themselves and to their lives to figure out their own way up their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/i-think-that-it-is-everyone-s-obligation-they-owe-to-themselves-and/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) ## More by Ron Silver > [I had no desire from an early age to be on the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/i-had-no-desire-from-an-early-age-to-be-on-the-stage/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [If I don't see my kids for six days, I start to get withdrawal pains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/if-i-don-t-see-my-kids-for-six-days-i-start-to-get-withdrawal-pains/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [I'm a 9/11 Republican.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/i-m-a-9-11-republican/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [I've seen people with a tremendous amount of educational background in the field not turn out to be terribly good actors, and I've seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/i-ve-seen-people-with-a-tremendous-amount-of-educational-background/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [I think it's good to meet smart people and talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/i-think-it-s-good-to-meet-smart-people-and-talk/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [For about the first ten years of my career, I wasn't terribly motivated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/for-about-the-first-ten-years-of-my-career-i-wasn-t-terribly-motivated/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [I can't talk about foreign policy like anyone who's spent their life reading and learning foreign policy. But as a citizen in a democracy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/i-can-t-talk-about-foreign-policy-like-anyone-who-s-spent-their-life/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [It's not like I'm the most famous person in the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/it-s-not-like-i-m-the-most-famous-person-in-the-world/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [Too often in the past, U.S. leaders have forced Israel to pay the price for American strategic interests in the Middle East - through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/too-often-in-the-past-u-s-leaders-have-forced-israel-to-pay-the-price/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [You have to think an awful lot about your motivations or people's behavioral intentions or what their body language can indicate or what's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/you-have-to-think-an-awful-lot-about-your-motivations-or-people-s/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [I saw and I met a lot of people who were in the field. It also provided a context in which I came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/i-saw-and-i-met-a-lot-of-people-who-were-in-the-field-it-also/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [The twentieth century has exhibited a barbarism and lack of respect for human life on a massive scale just about unknown before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/the-twentieth-century-has-exhibited-a-barbarism-and-lack-of-respect/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [Nothing gets a bigger laugh than when you refer to things like ethics or human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/nothing-gets-a-bigger-laugh-than-when-you-refer-to-things-like-ethics/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [Anyone who devotes time and attention to what makes people tick, to me, is a smart person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/anyone-who-devotes-time-and-attention-to-what-makes-people-tick-to-me/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [It made me think about a whole area of human activity that was not really a concern to me before that, because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/it-made-me-think-about-a-whole-area-of-human-activity-that-was-not/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) [Explore all 34 Ron Silver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) ## More Obligation quotes > [It makes no sense to talk of the social obligations of the corporation without reference to its economic obligations. The two are intertwined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-r-raymond/it-makes-no-sense-to-talk-of-the-social-obligations-of-the/) [Lee R. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-r-raymond/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I would have let you shoot me without further ado! But it is not possible to hang the German Reichsmarschall! I cannot permit this.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-goring/i-would-have-let-you-shoot-me-without-further-ado-but-it-is-not/) [Hermann Goring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-goring/) > [He gives only the worthless gold who gives from a sense of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/he-gives-only-the-worthless-gold-who-gives-from-a-sense-of-duty/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Man always travels along precipices... His truest obligation is to keep his balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/man-always-travels-along-precipices-his-truest-obligation-is-to-keep/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) > [Benefits received are a delight to us as long as we think we can requite them; when that possibility is far exceeded, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/benefits-received-are-a-delight-to-us-as-long-as-we-think-we-can/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [I see the main problem of my life, and indeed anybody's life, as the balancing of competitive freedoms ... a sense of mutual obligations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/i-see-the-main-problem-of-my-life-and-indeed-anybody-s-life-as-the/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Before I start a company, I always invest at least one year to knowing that sector thoroughly. I research about almost everything related to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhavin-turakhia/before-i-start-a-company-i-always-invest-at-least-one-year-to-knowing/) [Bhavin Turakhia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhavin-turakhia/) > [A contract is an ask game, and if it asks for an hour, and I submit to an hour, then it's an hour. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/a-contract-is-an-ask-game-and-if-it-asks-for-an-hour-and-i-submit-to/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [Christian obligation cannot be made to accord with a law of expediency. The Christian's maxims are, Do right because you are bound to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-landey-patton/christian-obligation-cannot-be-made-to-accord-with-a-law-of/) Francis Landey Patton > [My only obligation as a fiction writer is to the story, to make it good, so good the busy reader doesn't feel that flipping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-pietrzyk/my-only-obligation-as-a-fiction-writer-is-to-the-story-to-make-it/) [Leslie Pietrzyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-pietrzyk/) > [Student loans have been helpful to many. But they offer neither incentive nor assistance to those students who, by reason of family or other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/student-loans-have-been-helpful-to-many-but-they-offer-neither/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) [Browse all 1,874 Obligation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think you have an obligation to be an optimist. 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